Folding machine



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Patented 17, 1929 LMAIZ ATENT QFFICE ANDREW R. EIDDERSTROM, OF NAHAIKI'T, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNGR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERfiON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY FOLDING MACHINE Original application filed July 17, 1923, Serial No. 652,169. Divided and this application filed December 13, 1924. Serial No. 755,6?5.

The present invention relates to machines for operating upon flexible material, and more particularly to machines for folding the margins of shoe uppers, such as Vamps,

5 quarters, tips, and the like.

The margins of sharply concave shoe uppers should. be snipped or slit prior to the folding operation, in order to facilitate the folding.

An object of the present invention, therefore, contemplates means for controlling the snipping knife.

Other and further objects will be explained in the following description, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

it being understood that the invention consists of the folding machine a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated and descriped herein and that it is intended to express in the appended claims all the novelty that the invention may possess.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of a machine constructed according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention that is illustrated and described in a copending application, Serial No. 652,169, filed July 17, 1923, of which the pres ent application is a division; Figs. 2 and 3 are views of a knife-operating mechanism specifically claimed herein; and Fig. 1 is a section taken upon the line 1- 1 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows The invention is illustrated as applied to a folding machine for folding the margins of shoe uppers, such as vamps, quarters and the like. The machine is provided with a lower feed block 41 and an upper feed point 30, driven from a driving shaft 66, and between which a sheet of flexible material, like a shoe upper, is intermittently gripped, and by which the sheet is fed or advanced, step by step, over a platform or support, to a folder or plow that initiates a fold in successive portions of the margin of the material. A fold presser presses the fold flat against the body of the upper during pauses in the feed. A retainer holds the stock against the support during the pauses in the feed. The details of construction of the folder, the fold presser, the retainer and their operating mechanisms are not described herein, because unnecessary to an understanding of the present invention, and because other folders, fold pressers and retainers and other operating mechanisms may equally well be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit or the scope of the invention. The illustrated folder, fold presser, retainer and operating mechanisms are fully described in the said copending application, Serlal No. 652,169.

The slitting or shipping is performed, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, by a movable knife 352, cooperating with a stationary knife. The movable knife 352 is pivoted to the upper end of a bracket 61 and is connected at 356 to one end of a link The other end of the link 354 is adapted to be clutched to, and unclutched from, knife-operating mechanism, so as to cause the knife to be actuated or idle, at the will of the operator.

The clutching mechanism disclosed in the above-mentioned application is illustrated in Fig. 1. The said other end of the link 354 is adjustably connected to a plate-like member 362 that is adapted to be clutched to a gear 366 that is driven from a gear 154 upon the driving shaft 66, The illustrated details of the adjustable connection between the link 354 and the plate-like member 362 comprise slots in the link 35d and set screws 370 that are adapted to enter the slots and bind the link 35% against the platelike member 362.

The plate-like member 862 is provided with a polygonal-shaped, parallel-sided, opening 374 within which is slidably mounted a correspondingly shaped polygonal block 376 loosely mounted upon an eccentric of the gear 366. Rotative movement of the gear will, therefore, through the eccentric, be converted into reciprocating movement of the block 37 6 within the opening 374. The sliding movement of the block 376 within the opening 374 may be prevented by means of a clutch cam (not shown). The block 37 6 being thus held against movement in the slot 374, the of the eccentric will now be cation.

transmitted to the link 354 and, through the link, to the knife 352.

The knife-operating mechanism that constitutes the subject matter of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The said other end of the link 354 is shown conuected with a conical projection 492 that is slidably mounted upon the gear 866, in a dovetail slot 494. An arm 462 is angularly adjustable about the axis of the gear 366.

Rotatable adjustment of the arm 462 will, through the intermeshing of coarse threads 482, cause a drum 484 to be moved towards and away from the gear 366. The drum 484 is provided with an arm 486 that isslidably mounted in an opening 488 at the extremity of the arm 462. The drum 484 is provided with a conically shaped recess 490 that is adaptedtoengagethecorrespondinglyshaped, conical projection 492. As the drum 484 is forced towards the gear 366, therefore, the conical projection 492 will be forced to enter the conically shaped recess 490. This will effect a sliding movement of the conical projection 492, in the dovetail slide 494, in opposition to springs 496. This will have'the effect of changing the eccentricity of the conical proj ection 492. The knife 352 may thus be operated in accordance with the varying eccentricity of the conical projection 492.

. The rotatable adjustment of the'arm 462 may be effected by adjusting a link 470 one end of which is pivoted to an arm 472. The arms 462 and 472 are integrally connected with a hub 474 that is rotatable about the axis of the gear 366. The link 470 may be connected to an arm 17 9, so as to be treadleor knee-controlled. The arm 17 9 is secured to a rock shaft 188. The rock shaft 188 is provided with a fixed arm 183 that is connected with a treadle rod 187. By actuating the treadle rod 187, the rock shaft 188 will be rocked in one orthe other direction, and

the rocking movement of the rock shaft will be communicated, through the arm 179, to the link 470. The arm 179 thus is adapted to actuate the link 354 in opposition to the force exerted by a spring 47 6. The ends of the link 470 are adapted to move in curved guides 4'78 and 480, the latter guide being concentric with the axis of the gear 366 and the former being parallel with the latter.

Many details of the illustrative machine 1924 have not been illustrated herein, and many illustrated parts have not been described, be cause unnecessary to an understanding 6f the present invention, and because full particulars may be obtained in the aforesaid appli- The elements of novelty, furthermore, though fully explained, are by no means restricted to the exact embodiments thereof that are illustrated and described herein. Modifications and changes will readily occur 'to persons skilled in the art, and all such are considered to fall within the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. I

What is claimed is:

1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a rotatable member, an eccentric slidably mounted on the member having a cam, and a cooperating cam adapted to be actuated to effect the sliding movement of the first-named cam upon the rotatable mcmher.

2. A folding machine having, in combination, means for folding the margin of material, a knife for slitting the margin prior to folding, means for feeding the material to the folding means and the knife, a rotatable member, an eccentric slidably mounted on'the rotatable member having a conical projection, a link connecting the knife to the eccentric, a member having a correspondingly conically shaped recess, and means for actuating the recessed member towards the rotatable member to cause the conical projection to be engaged by the walls of the conically shaped recess, thereby to cause the conical member to slide upon the rotatable member.

3. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a rotatable member, an eccentric slidably mounted on the member having a conical projection, a member having a corresponding conically shaped recess, and means for actuating the recessed member towards the rotatable member to cause the conical projection to be engaged by the walls of the conically shaped recess, thereby to cause the conical member to slide upon the rotatable member.

4. A folding machine having, in combination, means for folding the margin of material, a knife for slitting the margin prior to folding, means for feeding the material to the folding means and the knife, a rotatable member, an eccentric slidably mounted on the rotatable member having a cam, a link connecting the knife to the eccentric, a cooperating cam adapted to be actuated to effect the sliding movement of the first-named cam upon the rotatable member, and means for actuating the cooperating cam to eifect the sliding movement of the first-named cam upon the rotatable member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of November,

ANDREW R. RIDDERSTROM. 

